Below the Bones (Widow's Island #5) - Kendra Elliot Page 0,16

ride had been too noisy to discuss what Sowle had had to say. Back at the island, Mike had suggested dinner, which had brought them to the brewery. After the first messy bite of his burger had left egg covering one hand, Mike switched to a knife and fork and chopped the impressive stack into what looked like a breakfast scramble. He squirted ketchup all over the heap of food and eagerly dived in.

“What was Sowle’s second-degree-murder charge for?” Henry asked, focusing on his less impressive barbecue burger.

“Started as a bar fight,” Mike said around bites. “They took it outside, and Sowle deliberately slammed the guy’s head against a concrete block. The victim never regained consciousness, and at least twenty witnesses were willing to talk.”

Henry could easily imagine the damage to the victim’s skull.

“What was the fight about?” asked Cate. Her burger was stuffed with blue cheese. Henry wasn’t a fan.

“A woman.”

Cate snorted.

“He asked about you,” Mike told her.

“Me? Why? He never said two words to me. Could barely look me in the eye during our interviews.”

Henry grinned. “Sounds like you made an impression anyway. What’s your feeling about him?” he asked Mike.

Mike grabbed a fresh napkin and wiped his lips. “I don’t think he has anything to do with the new graves. He’s not the brightest bulb. When I asked him about Widow’s Island, he said he’d never been to Canada.”

“Ha ha!” Cate covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling.

“He was also living in Montana during the time period we’re looking at. He’d only returned to Washington six months before he was arrested. Doesn’t rule anything out—he could have made trips. But it does move him down the list a bit.” He took another bite. “So I’m not feeling him for the murders. Even the guard commented that Sowle was a little thick in the brain. He hits first . . . asks questions later. I don’t believe he has the planning element needed to do the setup we saw in the state park.”

“That’s how I remember him too,” said Cate.

“When he asked where you were, I told him you no longer worked for the FBI,” Mike told her.

“Good,” said Henry. “Don’t need someone else looking for you.”

“I told him you moved to Canada,” said Mike, popping a fry in his mouth.

Cate nearly spit out the beer she’d just sipped and laughed. “I guess that’s true, by his definition.” She slid off her barstool and kissed Henry on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a minute.” She headed toward the restrooms.

Henry watched her walk away, pleased to see her happy.

“She surprised me today,” said Mike in a lower voice. “I didn’t expect her to let Lamb push her buttons. I don’t think that would have happened a year ago.”

Henry held up his hands. “Has a murderer ever proved they had accurate knowledge of what was going on in your life? Brought up your family? She handled it just fine when he first tried to rattle her, but when he brought up me, that was too close to home for her. He might have just as well mentioned her grandmother or brother. Cate’s very protective of her family.”

“I can’t have her reacting like that. Blew the interview.”

“Well, she feels bad about it, but she doesn’t work for you,” Henry reminded him. “You took that risk when you yanked her back in against her wishes.”

“She wanted it.”

She did.

“She might miss it sometimes, but I think this showed her she’s no longer the person she used to be. It’s not a good fit for her anymore.” He studied Mike’s disappointed face and didn’t care that Cate had let the agent down. She’d stood up for herself. And Henry.

She had new priorities.

“How did he get information about me? About Cate and me?”

“Obviously he’s in contact with someone on Widow’s,” said Mike, taking a long drink of his beer. He’d been eating nonstop but had barely dented the heap of destroyed burger on his plate. “Might even be the person we’re looking for.”

Henry pondered this. “You think Lamb keeps in touch with someone here who might be his protégé? Or someone suggested it could be a fan. I could see Lamb offering to chat with someone in exchange for information on Cate.”

“I struggle with the idea that Lamb taught someone to do what he did. The guy is a narcissist. He wouldn’t waste the time of day on someone like that. He does it best, and no one else could match. You saw his face